Strategy: Walk and Talk
What is it?
§ Walk and Talk is when students walk in pairs while discussing a particular topic.

The teacher may give a topic to discuss or specific questions to answer in this talk.

Examples of General Social Studies Questions:
§ What did you learn about social studies this week?
§ What questions do you have about the information we are learning in social studies?
§ If you could go back in time to meet with any of the people we have studied this year, who would it be? What would you talk about?
Examples of Specific Topic Social Studies Questions:
Topic: Immigration
§ Talk about a time you had to move someplace. Why did you move and where did you go?
§ If you had to move to a new country, what would be the most exciting for you?
§ If you had to move to a new country, what would be the biggest challenge for you?
§ What would cause you to uproot your entire family and life and move to another country?

This strategy can be used while students are walking to lunch, to P.E. or Art or to a specific assembly or meeting

Walk and Talk could be used when students are required to walk or jog in P.E. - Integrate Education into Physical Education

Might cause problems if students do not stay on task while walking and talking
Could be very disruptive in the hallways


Caitlin Miller
ELED 365

Walk and Talk
Description:
· A Walk and Talk is a partner discussion used while walking from one place to another in the school building or classroom. You can use this strategy during specials as well. The teacher gives the student a specific question, or questions to answer as they go on their walk. The questions can be general questions related to the lessons from the week, the readings from the week, or just everyday basic social studies questions. You can also limit the students to answer a specific question based on the specific study the students are learning about that day.

Strengths:
· Students do not have to feel pressured if they get the answer wrong.
· Students can hear different ideas from their classmate.
· Students can help each and add to the conversation.
· If students are asked to talk about personal information and connections, the students may be able to learn more about one another.

Weaknesses:
· It may be hard to monitor the conversations of every single pair.
· Students may be having conversations that have nothing to do with the questions they were given.
· How can this strategy be monitored when the students are at specials like gym and art?
· Disrupts other classes

Example of a Walk and Talk:
1. The students are given the directions.
a. Today we are going to do a Walk and Talk. I am going to give you a list of questions to answer with a partner.
2. Get with a partner.
3. Post the questions on the elmo so they can refer back.
4. Go on a short walk around the first floor, and quietly discuss the answers to these two questions:
a. What was this weeks reading chapter about?
b. What is one interesting fact that you read?